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Some energy experts said they were unsure if they would help because of the appearance it gives to clients or their bosses. This is especially so if the candidate has a track record supportive of climate policies such as cap-and-trade legislation, including Pawlenty, Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Utah Gov. John Huntsman.

Identifying energy advisers also has its challenges, especially when the candidates themselves prefer to be the ones in the spotlight while the people helping them keep their names and own ideas out of the public eye. “It’s counterproductive,” said Beehler.

Doug Holtz-Eakin, the top economic adviser to John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, said he did not plan to sign on as an adviser to any of the 2012 candidates. "The door is open to anyone who wants my advice, but I'm not going to campaign and I'm not going to support a candidate," he said. "I've had people come by, but that's an equal opportunity venture."

McKenna was helping Barbour, but he said he’s not planning to step back into the fray for any other Republicans.

For now, with gas prices atop the minds of many Americans, the GOP field has had a free ride to shoot from the hip in criticism of Obama’s energy policies.

Holtz-Eakin said he expects Republican candidates will probably stay in attack mode for several more months without needing to roll out their own detailed energy playbooks.

"It's relatively early for that level of specificity," he said. "And let's face it. Regardless of who wins the nomination, this election is going to be a referendum on this president. ... That's where the focus is going to be."

Right now, policy positions aren't a priority for the GOP candidates, said John Feehrey, a Republican strategist and former spokesman for ex-House Speaker Denny Hastert. "It's all about raising money," he said. "They get to the policy stuff pretty much last."

But with the GOP primary season moving into a series of debates and other high-profile forums, other energy experts warn the presidential candidates to start prepping themselves and building out their policy platform on pocketbook issues associated with oil and gas development.

"Just falling back on, 'It's about jobs, jobs, jobs,' it is, but people are going to have to get more specific," said Bud Albright, a former undersecretary of Energy during the Bush administration and former GOP staff director of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Albright, a senior vice president for policy and government affairs at Houston-based CenterPoint Energy, said he was most concerned about how the GOP field handles natural gas exploration, which could face more federal regulations over a controversial extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing.

"I think it's one of the biggest issues that's facing America's energy future," he said. "I think anyone who wants to be president of the United States, if they don't understand it, they're making a big mistake."

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 5:37 a.m. on May 9, 2011.

Natural Gas can power all types of vehicles. The technology is being used today. Trucks cars and buses are rolling off the assembly lines. These vehicles are being used where CNG filling pumps have been installed.

There are over one thousand independent drillers capable of drilling for natural gas. There are only a few importers of foreign oil. They control the imported oil market. Domestic drillers are very competitive and need the work.

Domestically produced natural gas can add millions of new jobs and provide a strong tax base for state and federal government. Buying foreign oil is bankrupting America.

Natural Gas drilling has a tremendous safety record. The 2004 EPA safety study concluded that there was no evidence that fracking had ever caused harm to our water tables despite media hype.

Both the country and individuals will benefit from Americas ability to access our own huge resource. Natural Gas is clean, abundant, inexpensive and increasingly available. Call your Senators and tell them to speed up the transition to natural gas. Americans should no longer be required to purchase foreign oil. We need a President who can speed up Americas conversion to natural gas. Can we trust our current President to get the job done?

Natural Gas can power all types of vehicles. The technology is being used today. Trucks cars and buses are rolling off the assembly lines. These vehicles are being used where CNG filling pumps have been installed.

There are over one thousand independent drillers capable of drilling for natural gas. There are only a few importers of foreign oil. They control the imported oil market. Domestic drillers are very competitive and need the work.

Domestically produced natural gas can add millions of new jobs and provide a strong tax base for state and federal government. Buying foreign oil is bankrupting America.

Natural Gas drilling has a tremendous safety record. The 2004 EPA safety study concluded that there was no evidence that fracking had ever caused harm to our water tables despite media hype.

Both the country and individuals will benefit from Americas ability to access our own huge resource. Natural Gas is clean, abundant, inexpensive and increasingly available. Call your Senators and tell them to speed up the transition to natural gas. Americans should no longer be required to purchase foreign oil. We need a President who can speed up Americas conversion to natural gas. Can we trust our current President to get the job done?

Right now, policy positions aren't a priority for the GOP candidates, said John Feehrey, a Republican strategist and former spokesman for ex-House Speaker Denny Hastert. "It's all about raising money," he said. "They get to the policy stuff pretty much last."

That says it all to me... in a nutshell, that's what is wrong with politics and our government, they put the cart before the horse... as long as policy is afterthought how can we be surprised when things go wrong?America needs a viable third party to actually represent the people instead of monied special interests.

Here's some advice...If you are conservative and don't drink oil and crap coal, forget about it....

Nevermind the fact the world is going to run out of oil in 50 years and natual gas in 100...nor the fact that on an even playing field, minus subsidies and environmental cleanup, renewable energy blows fossil fuels away on return on investment......

So snuggle up tight to those smokestacks, T-bags, it's going to be a long ride to the bottom....